


Beneficial

by zeryxis



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:22:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22019308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeryxis/pseuds/zeryxis
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

The man's short, neatly trimmed beard did nothing to hide the gentle smile he gave his daughter as he checked in on her. Bent over a hefty tome, the girl's soft green eyes read with meticulous slowness, making sure to absorb as many details as she could before moving on. Often she would flip back, as if something she had just read sparked a connection in previous text, building the picture in her mind ever larger. More detailed and refined, like the painting of a massive landscape. His own, deeper green eyes flicked over to where his companion had moved closer in the corner of his eye, the wispy voice telling him of company in the foyer. A slight nod to the monster, and he gave just one more peek at his daughter's studies - she was scribbling something on a notepad, oblivious to the world moving around her - before he straightened, moving away from the door and to the hallway.

"Do you have the payment?" the visitor asked, voice shivering as the flame elemental was still at his side. He ignored the breach in etiquette, instead holding his hand out to the side to receive a little pouch of coin from Grillby, then handed it off to the courier. The package was taken by the monster, despite the flinch of the person handing it to him, and he didn't seem bothered, having gotten worse from outsiders before. A wave of the hand had the courier off, leaving them with a quick slam of the door. 

"Such rudeness," the man sighed, rubbing his face, ruffling the neat beard, pulling his spectacles up from around his neck and perching them on the smooth hump of his large nose, "you'd think they'd tell them to at least have some courtesy towards familiars, even if they are six-foot tall firemen."

"Six and a half," Grillby chuckled in a light voice, getting another grin from his companion, "and it's fine. Would you like me to get tea started?"

"Yes, and a bit of a snack for Jenny, she's due for a break." He set himself down in a chair, the thick plush fabric supporting his somewhat bulky frame with ease. A quick flick of a knife opened the wax seal, letting him pull away the less mundane binds on the parcel as well. Grillby nodded, knowing the girl would study for hours on end if not interrupted, just as her father used to. 

The teapot was made to siphon just a touch of magic from the fire monster, to work without need of a stove, and he prepared the golden petals and honey with practiced ease, his hands cooled with the use of protective white gloves. The slightest hint of intent was all he needed to enhance the tea's already aromatic flavors, as well as the biscuits and cream the child favored for her tea snacks. Grillby thought back about the time he'd first met her, when she was tiny and pink, no words but screeches and soft gurgles. No fear of the world around her, looking around with curiosity that grew right alongside her. Certainly her father's child, and he smiled gently as well, wondering how soon it would be before she too would be summoning a familiar for herself.

It had been lonely since the mistress had passed away, and he missed having other monsters as company. The two humans of the household were lovely, he'd never say a word against them - and would in fact be more than happy to do plenty about those who would - but other monsters were simply a comfort to be around. It hadn't helped that the mistress' own familiar, an elemental like himself - if a shadow one - had been a close friend to him for almost a decade. That they were now gone as well, unable to maintain themselves in this human world without the lifeline that was their caster. But Grillby knew they had moved back into the realm of monsters, somewhere ethereal and untouchable by those of the human world. Where he would likely return when the man in the other room eventually passed. 

"Jenny," he said, his voice that ever-soft smoke of words, rapping a knuckle to the doorframe of her study, "tea, little one."

"Okay!" she called, dropping her pen in the open bosom of the book before pushing away from the table. The soft-topped bench rocked a bit as she got up, but never fell, even if he thought it might. Her exuberance was balanced out by an unintended swirl of magic, keeping gravity from claiming its rightful victim, setting all four corners of the bench back on the floor without even an incantation. Her hand went up to Grillby's without a thought, humming to them both as he escorted her to the sitting room to be with them. The flame monster pulled her chair out for her to sit, and she giggled as she swung her feet, almost touching the floor. Pushing it back in place for her, she was about to ask for the cream when she spotted the package in her father's hands.

"What's that, daddy?" she chimed, eyes lighting up as she forgot entirely about her snack. A soft chuckle escaped both males, Grillby having poured a small dose of tea into her milk after making a cup of each for the other human and himself. The brown wrapping paper still hid most of the parcel, but the thick collection of papers in his hand shone crisp and bright. 

"Your certifications," he said after an intended pause, seeming to swell a bit in pride. She seemed to not understand for a moment, but when it ticked in her mind, a long, breathy gasp escaped her.

"I PASSED?!"


	2. Chapter 2

She kept looking over the certifications, as if the text would change or the stiff parchment themselves would disappear if she didn't, tea forgotten despite her father and his familiar continuing without her on it. Perhaps even they were gone to her as well, so happy she was to read the words over and over again.

"Genevieve Karusa DeEntrent, Mage Fourth Class, Minor, permitted from this day, August Nineteenth, Seventh Year of Sun, to summon Monsters as Soulbound Familiars under the supervision of any Second, First, or Elite Class Mage!" her voice kept rising as she kept repeating that line, knowing full well her father was amoung the highest ranking of Mages, his elemental familiar alone was proof of that distinction, and she was greater than a Fifth or Sixth Class to boot! Jenny was ecstatic, her voice ranging between loud, childish joy and quiet, almost reverent disbelief. Jenny hadn't imagined she'd gotten approved as easily as she did, felt she had barely scratched the surface of everything, and here it was, her permission to use the growing font of magic inside her to have a familiar, just like Grillby.

"Take care not to crumple the papers, Jenny," her father chuckled, polishing off the second cup of tea, while the flame monster sat with his own thoughts, nursing the scalding tea with long, slow sips. His attention returned to his daughter, "we'll get the copies framed for the hall, and lock the originals away in the safe. But put those aside, dear, your tea is getting cold and you need to eat."

Her hands held the papers another few moments, then gently allowed them to sit to the side of the table, hand lingering on top of the stack before she returned her attention to the rest of the room. The tea and milk shook a bit as she drank, careful not to spill or choke herself by going too fast. She finished the tepid cup, smiling at Grillby as he placed the cream closer to her elbow. Jenny slathered her biscuits in it, only three bites for each one to disappear. A cup of tea and milk between every few, and soon she was beaming as she felt so refreshed.

"Thank you, Grillby!" she chimed, knowing she would get a soft smile from him in turn. Jenny gathered the plates and cups, the monster taking the teapot, and she grinned at her father before taking the dirtied set back to the kitchen to set to one side of the deep sink. Accepting the offered hand, she again let him escort her back, where the man had spread out a couple small parcels that had been included in the package.

"Have you been thinking about what you'd like to use as the offerings?" he asked, and got several quick little nods from her.

"Yes! I got half of my focus crystals, and the big ribbon that mom used to tie my hair with, and some books, and-"

Her father interrupted with a laugh, nodding as he wiped lightly at the corner of an eye.

"Good, alright, you've a list, then. They sent enough Dust for three summon attempts, and more focus crystals for you to enchant." He took out the dull-grey gems, each as long as his hand, ready to be imbued with magic. A bottle of paint, glittering in rainbow hues inside the crystal-glass container, three tiny white boxes, seven short candles, and a single copper ring. She recognized all of the items, having studied the purpose and use of each in a summoning ritual, and what all she needed to do. Her hands shook visibly as she picked up one of the white cubes, knowing inside was part of what made a Monster, or at least made them able to connect and manifest in the realm of humans. Almost as if holding a corpse, but also a womb. She smiled, closing her eyes as her excitement shifted more into quiet contemplation.

"Can I practice with Grillby, daddy?" she asked after a long silence. She knew the elemental wouldn't mind such a thing, though her father might be a tad concerned.

"I'm not sure, he's very powerful, Jenny," the man started, only for the monster to put a comforting hand to his shoulder.

"Laurence, I can go easy on the child, you know that."

"Well, yes, but she needs more-"

"Practice?" Grillby interjected with a knowing smile. Laurence sighed, rubbing his fingers at his eyes, nudging his glasses about.

"Alright, but not until tomorrow. She needs to focus on getting everything prepared for summoning, that takes time and magic," her father nodded, giving his child a little wink, "and I'll ask Constance to make something special for dinner."

" _AHHH_ you're gonna get miss Constance?!" Jenny cried in glee, pushing up and hugging her father around the neck, bouncing in place before darting off to decide what to wear for dinner, forgetting her items for the moment as another excitement had distracted her. He chuckled again as he rose, waving a hand to Grillby for the elemental to follow, both heading to the foyer to help one another into their coats. The walk to the lady's house wasn't too long, but the afternoon was a chilly one, and Grillby enjoyed the formal attire.

~ ~ ~ ~

The cat monster that opened the door gave a soft noise as she recognized their guests, opening it wide as she invited them in with a sweep of her arm.

"Mister DeEntrent, Grillby! Miss Constance was wondering why you took so long!" Catty near-purred, hands smooshing at her own face, "she was so excited that little Jenny's a Mage now too!" Grillby offered a hand to the feline, who giggled and took it with a playful curtsy, pulling at the frill of her soft blue skirts, giggling to herself as her tail swished in place. She did the same with the human, her smile almost cheshire-like, but joyfully so. The pleasantries done, even mockingly, she took them over to a sitting room, knocking on the frame of the archway before leaning in.

"Bratty! They're heeeeereeee!" she mewled, tail swishing as she looked over at the reptilian monster. Bratty lifted her head from where she'd been reading, a big crocodile grin crinkling the corners of her crimson eyes. Others would be afraid of that huge, sharp grimace, but they all knew she meant them no harm.

"Now I know why Constance had me save back that boar last week," Bratty rumbled, her voice as close to kind as she could make it, "she had to have known the whelp was gonna want it." 

Catty purred softly as she moved closer, taking the wickedly-taloned hand so she could pet along it with her own fuzzy paws and a smile. "Jenny is gonna be able to summon a familiar now." Bratty lifted her head with a sharp jolt, then looked askance at nothing.

"Well, let's hope its not like me. Might scare the brat..." she muttered under her breath, trying her best not to snarl at the thought, though the side of her mouth did curl, showing more fang than intended. All three monsters could feel her temper edging into rudeness, and Catty kept up the gentle pats to her hand and wrist.

"She likes you, remember? Said your eyes were pretty and you looked so cool in your hunting leathers." A pleased look came to the gators face, and Grillby visibly relaxed now. Despite herself, Bratty could be temperamental, and only the purple feline seemed able to bring her around without force. 

"Let Constance know I'll carry it down to the DeEntrent's at once," the reptile said, giving her friends hand a soft squeeze before turning to get to work, bundling up her short, dirty-blonde curls of hair as she walked off. She needed to make sure the meat had aged well enough, and having a task to focus herself on would aid in keeping her temper at bay.

"I'm glad she's doing much better," Laurence commented after a long moment of silence, prompting an almost sad nod from Catty.

"It's hard on her, being so high strung. Miss Constance is working on it but so many other Mages keep saying she should dismiss her. It doesn't help her temper any, hearing that..."

"And they wonder why she's so prickly," Grillby sighed, crossing his arms, "if I heard that so often I'd be tempted to burn some mansions down myself."

"Oh you!" Catty chuckled, swatting his arm, "but they certainly don't turn down her catches at the market!"

"Did Bratty do alright? She's had a rough day" the tall red-head asked as she brought in a wrapped package, a shiny ribbon tied around into a big bow on top, "York was trying to insist I restrain her when in pubic. I told him I'd muzzle him before anyone would touch either of my companions." Catty purred in delight, nudging in closer to rub alongside the lady, tail curling around to the other side of her grey-clad thigh before she nudged her head against the high cheek.

"She'll meet us there, wanted to get to work instead of dwell. Can I give Jenny the present? _Prrrreeeese_?" she purred, rolling the word as she gave her mistress big glowing yellow kitty eyes. Constance chuckled as she rolled her own eyes, shoving the gift into the pudgy cat's hands.

"Oh fine, but you're going to stick right at Bratty's side all evening. Stars know the poor dear gets nervous in other houses, no matter how often she visits." Catty practically lifted her off her feet in a big purring hug, nuzzling her face into the lady's neck before disappearing to finish packing up the essentials for the trip. Brushing the stray fur off her house robe, she sighed as she gave the two men her full attention. "Little weasel, that one, can't imagine turning her down on anything."

"She's so spoiled," Grillby agreed with a teasing smirk, " _master_ never lets me hug him so fiercely."

"Oh hush, Grillby," Laurence huffed, chuckling under his breath before he took Constance's hand and gave a light bow, his chuckling continuing, "but thank you, my dear. Don't even need to ask, do I?"

"I knew almost two weeks ago she got through," Constance said with a tone heavily coated in smugness as Grillby repeated the gesture to her, "fit to burst, I was. Wanted to let you know the instant I heard, but you know those stuffy old Mages. Protocol and paperwork and all that nonsense."

"Well, she certainly couldn't ask for better timing. Bratty got a nice boar, we heard?" Grillby asked, gaining another smile from the lady.

"She did, surprised it out a little over three miles east, if you'd believe it wandered so close this time of year. Chestnuts haven't even fallen much and the greedy thing was rooting about like the whole harvest was in the yards. Good layer of fat on him too." Constance continued the conversation as they followed her to the main hall, where she shed her robe and picked up her own long coat, the flame elemental helping her to settle it on her shoulders and pull her long auburn hair out of the back. Once Catty showed with the bags - which Grillby took half from her, and Laurence the other half, they each took a lady's hand and were off, back towards the DeEntrent manor.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time they reached the doorway, the DeEntrents had another visitor, waiting outside, shifting their weight from foot to foot, swaying their striped poncho with a bit of humming. Bratty had permission, and so was able to let herself inside to begin preparations for dinner without so much as a knock. They were an unexpected guest, however, and had to wait to be allowed in the gate.

"MK, lovely to see you," Catty greeted first, interrupting Laurence as he meant to say almost the same. She squished the small Monster Kid's chubby face between her paws, kissing at his dusty-yellow-scaled brow a few times before he made a noise of complaint for not being able to speak his piece. Constance waved her feline off him, patting at one side of his spikes with a comforting hand as he caught his breath.

" _Wheh_... ahem... uh-h-hi, uh! I mean!" he made a little bow of his head, then looked back up at Laurence, "missus Fischer an her family want to extend their con-congrad-uh... their best, on miss Jenny passing her cerdi... certifications!" MK nodded, smiling back at them with a slight wave of his heavy tail, and Laurent and Grillby gave the youngster a few polite claps of their hands with warm smiles.

"Thank you, MK, and I would like to extend an invitation to you to join us for dinner. I know they won't be back from their trip for another few days, they won't mind you staying for a bite to eat."

"Oh-uh, um... I gotta-" MK shuffled his feet, tail curling a bit upwards, before he felt he had his words right, "M-miss Delia told me to come back right away, I'm sorry!"

"No, you're perfectly fine, son," Laurence said, waving a soothing hand, "do send them my best."

MK dashed off, wobbling just a touch at first, but managing to not fall on his face, as Grillby held the door open for the other three to make their way inside.

Catty and Constance bustled off to the kitchen as Laurence disappeared into the study, and Grillby was asked to hunt down the new Mage. He checked the usual spots before finding her half-buried in her own closet, a mess of opened boxes and scattered clothing spreading from the central point of Jenny's searching.

"Still looking?" he asked in a soft chuckle, getting her to peer back with those bright green eyes, crinkled in a big grin.

"I picked the outfit, it's over there," she waved her hand to one side, diving back in as she added, "look'n for more stuff for the summoning."

"You don't have to give them everything at once, you can always give them more later once you know what they'll be like..." Grillby offered, lifting the robe-like dress she'd tossed aside.

It was a neutral purple, but with bright silver trim and the impression of a simple five-petal blossom on the left shoulder. Nothing too fancy, she certainly had other 'prettier' dresses, but this one... matched the darker violet and grey robe her mother had often worn. It had matched up very well with River's own shadowy robes, always looking as if smoke or thick dark mist trailed along with them. His smile went smaller, contemplating, only to have a bundle of cloth tossed at him, and a little girl's voice breaking him out of his reverie. He blinked, looking over at the other things she'd failed to actually connect with.

"There you are!" she huffed, crossing her arms before shuffling through the mess of things between him and the closet, kicking aside a round snow-sled before lifting her arms up, grinning. She was just in her slip, ready to get dressed, and he rolled his eyes before neatly sliding the dress over her head and tightening the bow around the middle.

"You know how to dress yourself, Jenny."

"Yeah, but you dazed off! I was ask'n you to leave so I could, so you can do my hair up too!" she giggled, turning her head to kiss Grillby on the cheek before bouncing over to her small vanity, where a collection of hair ornaments were hung about. The mirror frame, a pair of broad bowls, the open drawers, another small basket to one side, the back of the chair... Jenny had amassed so many things that he didn't believe he'd ever seen her in anything more than once every moon or so. He shrugged and headed over, fishing a comb out of one of the drawers as she picked two lavender ribbons and a silver hairpin with a bright blue gem on the end.

"You know I'm not that great at this," he murmured, and she hummed a moment before tossing the pin and a ribbon back on the desk, handing back just the solo tie to be used. Her feet did sit flat on the floor in this chair, and he brushed her hair back into a simple ponytail, tying the ribbon to hold it before making a floppy double-bow. He stepped back as she turned her head to look in the mirror, then giving a humming nod.

"It'll do," she said, hopping out of her seat before taking his hand, giving a playful pull of her skirt to one side in a mock curtsy, "what's for dinner?"

"Constance said Bratty caught a boar," he told her as he walked her out of the messy room, knowing her father would be hard pressed to be gruff with her about the state of it, at least for the night. He was too proud of her achievement to be firm with her today. "And Catty came along to bring you a present."

"Miss Constance brought them both?!"

The girl's excitement seemed to swell to overflow the room, double-checking her hair before taking Grillby by the hand and near-dragging him down the halls towards the kitchen. He followed with ease, though it was the child's father who stopped her before she reached the kitchen.

"Now, Jenny, don't rush in and distract them, it'll be a few hours before dinner is ready, you sit and work at your crystals," he admonished, though his voice was so proud, a wide smile alongside his words. She shuffled a foot, hands fiddling with one another before she nodded, a little wistful sigh, looking the general direction of the kitchen. Grillby took one of her hands, getting a toothy grin from her, before he went to help distract her with the crystals she would be sparking into warm, glowing light with her own magic.

"She's probably gonna take all three tries," Constance said, shoulder leaning on the doorframe, "she's too unfocused to get it right the first time. But she will, too good a kid to not find her familiar." The woman had tied her wavy auburn hair back to work at the meal, though the feline usually didn't get in her way once she was in chef-mode. Mostly Catty did the little tasks that her summoner would occasionally overlook, such as trimming the tops of the carrots free of their greens, or making sure all the eyes were scrubbed from the potatoes, that pots were stirred regularly. Bratty was silent, focused on her work at the butchered swine roasting over the fire pit, basting in thick, spicy-sweet sauce as it rotated slowly in quarters on a single spit. Constance paused a long moment before her voice came in quieter. "She'd be proud."

The comment had Lawrence stiffen a moment, then sigh as he nodded in agreement. There was so much that her mother hadn't been able to teach her, and sometimes he wondered if he'd done well enough in her absence. A hand at his shoulder had him turn, and Grillby had come back to his side, the girl left to work on her own. Without a word, the elemental calmed his quick jolt of nerves, and Constance returned to her cooking. Lawrence turned and the monster followed him back to the room, where the girl was holding a crystal in her hands, eyes closed as she hummed, willing magic into the greyed-out stone. It pulsed inside with a tiny blue sparkle, deep inside the crystal, growing stronger as she gently coaxed the magic to settle inside the facets. It would reflect on itself, bounding inside the gem, making it glow as it refused to keep still, but was contained in the best possible way, outside of a living being.

Jenny didn't even notice anything else, her will focused on the gathering threads of magic she wound inside her gem, bundled up as neatly as she could while they wriggled like little snakes, eager to roam. Once captured, the magic would coalesce, building more strength as it grew with the feeding tendrils. Gaining as it settled, finding the limits of the crystal and filling it to the brim. If it were given too much magic, it would leak, and all of the stored magic would follow in a trickle that would grow until it burst the crystal, and faded away back into the aether. The half-dozen other crystals waited for their turn, and it likely would take her all night to bring each one to glowing beauty. Neither her father nor his familiar interrupted her, instead retreating without breaking her concentration. Grillby knew he'd be too much a distraction in the kitchens - Bratty was anxious enough as it was, without his stronger magic making her feel threatened - but he did have an idea on how to spend some time where both men would be out of the way.

Lawrence gave a low grunt as he leaned forward, the elemental's hands squeezing at the back of his neck just enough to coax the cervical bones to shift, and the heat they put off relaxing the flesh. His shirt was pulled down off his back, draped off his elbows as he sat on a backless bench, the steam in the room sizzling at Grillby, but not enough to irritate the monster. He slid his fingertips down along the spine, pressing just enough to take note of where the joins and cartilage would be tight or off balance, and worked them back into place. The skin under his hands dried as he touched it, glistening otherwise in the sauna-like bathroom, and he chuckled when the mage winced at a particularly knotted bit of muscle.

"Stop worrying so much and you won't get like this," he chided wispily, rotating the flesh under the heel of his palm before sending a slightly fiercer heat into the area, then let it back away.

"You'll go easy on her tomorrow, I know," he sighed, rubbing his own fingers in his hair, "but you're so much stronger than her, wha-" Lawrence gritted his teeth in another grimace as Grillby heated a point of pain, causing the jolt of stronger pain before it soothed it back into normalcy.

"We both know better," Grillby admonished, knowing very well that he worried he'd go too far. Even though the elemental could control his magic even to the point of reversing it entirely. Tiny will-o-wisps to a raging inferno that rivaled lava floes, and back again. But knowing what he was capable of, and being her loving father... "I'll go very easy on her."

The promise had him nod, though they both knew he'd be a knotted mess again tomorrow, especially during practice.


End file.
